steering shaft seal retainer

[Lomiller]

Greetings everyone.
I have started the rebuild of a 1948 farmall cub and have hit my first snag. When i picked up the tractor it had been sitting outside for a couple of years, the steering wheel and front wheels would not turn. I Figured it would be an easy fix but that has proven not to be the case.
I pulled shaft and wheel from the steering housing, jacked up front end and the wheels turn left/ right freely. Put the steering shaft back in and it won't move.
My first thought is to replace the steering shaft seal retainer and work my way down.
Thoughts, suggestions, corrective action? This is my first attempt at a rebuild so any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time

[Don McCombs]

The thickness of the seal retainer gasket is critical. Too thin and it can bind up the mechanism. Install the retainer loosely and see if it will turn.

http://www.tmtractor.com/new/st/458fp.htm

[Dale Finch]

That steering shaft seal retainer, as far as I know, seldom malfunctions...only the seal & gasket generally need replacement.

Check to make sure you still have the lower thrust washer in place (#7 in the link below)...thick brass washer just below the worm gear on the shaft. It may have fallen off into the steering housing during an earlier shaft removal. Unfortunately, if it is missing, since it is brass, you can't fish it out with a magnet!! You'll need to dig around to fish it out!

http://www.tmtractor.com/new/st/985fp.htm

[tst]

early steering shafts may not have the bronze thick washer on them but a steel thick washer pressed on the shaft, also another above the worm gear